Seroepidemiological investigation of toxocariasis in the Isparta Region of Turkey

Toxocariasis is a common disease around the world. Our objective was to determine Toxocara seroprevalence in humans in the city of Isparta, Southwest Turkey, in respect of some determinants such as age, socio-economic level, residence in city center or rural area etc. Five hundred and thirty four individual participants from Isparta center and 85 from Asagi Gokdere village were included in the study. T. cati specific antibodies were analyzed using excretory-secretory [ES]-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] method. T. cati antibodies were detected as positive in 73 [13.6%] of 534 samples which were collected from subjects living in the city center and 24 [28.2%] of 85 samples from Asagi Gokdere village. Toxocara seropositivity was detected among 15.6% of whole study group. The seroprevalence of toxocariasis was significantly higher among subjects from village than in subjects from city center [P=0.001]. While gender, high school education, source of the water which is used, family income and geophagia/eating nail behaviors were the features which were detected as being associated with toxocariasis seropositivity [odds ratios=0.5; 6.52; 3.61; 0.43; 0.13 respectively], owning dogs or cats and hand washing were detected as being not associated with toxocariasis seropositivity [P>0.05]. Furthermore, Toxocara seropositivity was significantly higher among subjects in 0-10 than>40 year-old group [P=0.02]. It can be suggested that untreated lost pet population, environmental contamination, and way of life have influence on the epidemiology of toxocariasis

Brugada syndrome with aborted sudden cardiac death related to liquorice-induced hypokalemia

It was the aim of this study to report an aborted cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation and electrocardiographic changes consistent with Brugada syndrome due to liquorice-induced hypokalemia. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: Ventricular fibrillation was witnessed in a 50-year-old woman who was admitted to our emergency department with a history of liquorice ingestion, a herbal product. After stopping liquorice ingestion, the Brugada-like electrocardiographic pattern changed progressively with potassium replacement. A diagnosis of Brugada syndrome was made after the ajmaline challenge test. The patient was discharged with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and had an uneventfull follow-up. This report illustrates the importance of the investigation for herbal medications in the detailed history of a patient in the cases of electrolyte disturbances and the potential role of hypokalemia in the induction of malignant arrhythmia in Brugada syndrome

Autoantibodies in patients with fasciolosis

Antiself humoral immune responses have been detected not only in classical autoimmune diseases, but autoantibodies have also been found in sera of patients suffering from chronic parasitic diseases. We aimed to investigate the role of fasciolosis as a trigger factor of autoimmune reactivity by searching some antibodies related to hepatobiliary systems, in patients with fasciolosis. Thirty-two patients [17 males, 15 females] with fasciolosis were included in this case-control study. Anti-nuclear antibodies [ANA] Screen [antigen mixture of dsDNA, histones, nRNP/Sm, Sm, SS-A, SS-B, Scl-70, Jo-1, ribosomal P-proteins, centromere] ELISA and single-antigen ELISAs for detection of some antibodies [dsDNA, Anti-M2, Anti- liver-kidney microsomes type 1 [LKM-1] and Myeloperoxidase [MPO] were carried out. ANA-screen, M-2, LKM-1, MPO and anti-dsDNA positivity were detected with ELISA in 7, 7, 4, 2 and 2 of 32 patients with fasciolosis, consecutively. No statistically significant difference was detected for any of the autoantibodies' frequency between patients with fasciolosis and control group. However, autoantibody positivity rate was significantly higher in patients with fasciolosis [50%] than control group [12.5%]. Absorbance values of all autoantibodies in patients with fasciolosis were statistically significant higher than controls. These results lent support to the role of fasciolosis as a trigger factor of autoimmune reactivity by the breakdown of tolerance. In spite of the extensive knowledge that has accumulated, the specific relationship between fasciolosis and autoimmunity is still obscure